Label dispenser



1965 J. E. INGALLS ETAL 3,222,242

LABEL DISPENSER Filed Aug. 15, 1965 United States Patent 3,222,242 LABEL DISPENSER James E. Ingalls, P.0. Box 244, Brooklyn, Conn.; Richard S. Duran, Brooklyn, Coun.; and Knut A. Barstrom, Rte. 87, Columbia, Conn.

Filed Aug. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 301,819 4 Claims. (Cl. 156-584) This invention relates to a label or sticker dispenser and more particularly a device for dispensing labels supplied in the form of a coil or roll of continuous elongated backing material to which the labels or stickers are de* tachably mounted.

With the development of pressure sensitive adhesive material for coating the back side of labels they may be temporarily mounted on a backing for storage and handling and as desired transferred from this backing to the article or surface where they are to remain permanently.

It is therefor an object of this invention to provide a device which will hold a roll of label mounted backing and feed the backing with attached labels to the dispensing zone where they are peeled from the backing.

It is another object of this invention to peel the label from the backing and dispense it directly to the surface to be labeled without the necessity of handling it, if so desired.

Yet another object is to provide means for coiling up the backing after the labels are dispensed.

Still another object is to provide means for actuating the device.

A further object is to provide simple convenient means for loading and unloading the respective coils.

A still further object is to provide a light weight portable device carried to the articles to be labeled and easily held in the hand while dispensing and mounting the labels directly on the surface of the articles.

While another object is to provide means for pressing the dispensed label against the surface of the article being labeled to firm it into secure contact with that surface.

Another object is to provide means for applying a series of labels to a battery of articles as the dispenser is drawn across the common surfaces of the article.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the following descriptions and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown in the act of dispensing and fixing labels:

FIGURE 2 is aside view of the invention with a portion of the side wall cut away to reveal a portion of the interior:

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the invention disclosed in FIGURE 2:

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view of the invention disclosed in FIGURE 2:

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view on line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 shows another embodiment of the invention.

With reference to the drawing the invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10.

A side wall 11 in the form of a rectangular plate having a leg 13 extending rearwardly from the lower corner thereof serves as a general support on which most of the components to be subsequently described are mounted. A hand grip 12, mounted on arm 13, provides a means for holding and guiding the dispenser 10 while in operation as is clearly shown in FIGURES 1 and 4. The side wall 11 and leg 13 may be formed of any suitable material such as aluminum or plastic resin as well as certain other parts such as the flanges, thumb knob and the like.

An axle stud 14 is secured to the side wall 11 in the upper portion thereof by any suitable means preferably a bolt 14b inserted through a hole in the wall 11 and 3,222,242 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 threaded into the axle stud 14. Rotatably mounted on axle stud 14 is a core 15 to receive a coil of label coated backing B. This core is retained on axle stud 14 by any suitable means such as a stop pin (not shown) mounted transversely on the axle stud 14 adjacent the other end of the core 15.

An inside flange 16 is mounted at the end of axle stud 14 adjacent the wall and is held in position by the clamping action of the end of the axle drawn against the wall 11 by the bolt 14a although any suitable means may be used to mount the flange 16.

A radial slot 16a in flange 16 permits flanges of different diameters to be interchanged to accommodate various diameter coils of backing B.

An outside flange 17 is slidably and detachably mounted on axle stud 14 to cooperate with core 15 and inside flange 16 to form a sort of reel to receive a coil of label mounted backing B and feed the backing B therefrom as required.

Outside flange 17 is provided with a collar 18 and a set screw 19 to frictionally or fixedly retain the outside flange 17 on the axle stud 14 in any desired position. By pressing the outside flange 17 against a coil of backing B mounted on axle stud 14 which will subsequently press against the inside of flange 16 proper tension may be applied to the unwinding of the backing B to effect eflicient operation of the dispenser 10.

A wind up axle 21 serves to pull the backing through the dispenser and wind it up as the labels L are peeled from the backing B as will be described in more detail subsequently. This wind up axle 21 is journaled in the side wall 11 and is provided with a thumb knob 24 mounted on the portion of axle 21 which protrudes through side wall 11 to enable the wind up axle 21 to be rotated by the thumb of the operator as clearly shown in FIGURE 1.

The knob 24 may also be rotated by rolling contact with the surface to which the labels are to be attached and for this purpose it is preferable to have the knob 24 or its circumferential surface made of resilient material as per example rubber so that it will properly operate on smooth surfaces such as glass or the like.

An axially directed groove 22 is provided in the outer surface of the wind up axle in which groove is located a finger 23 for purposes of attaching one end of the backing B to be subsequently wound on axle 21 as it is rotated by the thumb knob 24.

An upper guide rod 25 is fixedly mounted to the side wall 11 as clearly shown in FIGURE 1 in any suitable manner preferably that described above for mounting axle 14.

Upper guide rod 25 carries a presser foot 30 secured thereto by any suitable means preferably by screws 31, the function of which will be described in more detail subsequently.

The lower guide rod is provided with a flat surface 26a on its upper portion which terminates in a peeling edge 27 where it joins the round surface of the lower guide rod 26. The lower guide rod 26 is mounted on the Wall 11 parallel to upper guide rod 25 but mounted in such a manner that the plane of the flat surface 26a may be adjusted slightly about the axis of the lower guide rod 26 to effect the angle at which the label L is ejected. The mounting is preferably similar to that described for mounting axle stud 14.

The backing B is led from the roll on the axle stud 14 underneath the upper guide rod 25 and over the flat surface 26a and peeling edge 27 and around lower guide rod 26 to wind up axle 21 Where it is secured to this wind up axle 21 by means of groove 22 and finger 23 as previously described. The location of lower guide rod relative to wind up axle 21 is such that with the sharp turn of the backing B at the peeling edge 27 the label and the backing separate and as the backing continues to advance, the label is subsequently ejected at this point as will be further described immediately hereinafter.

The location of the upper guide rod 25 relative to the reel 15 and the lower guide rod 26 respectively is such that the backing B with the labels L mounted thereon approaches the fiat surface 26a and rides thereon to the peeling edge 27 in a direction and under such tension that each label L after separation from backing B is ejected in the projected direction which is the resultant direction of its approach direction and the direction of the plane of the fiat surface 26a. Thus by rotatively adjusting the lower guide rod 26 about the axis and hence the plane of the flat surface 26a, the direction of the ejection of the labels L may be controlled.

In another embodiment of this invention as shown in FIGURE 6 a spacer member 38a preferably in the form of a ring is inserted over the outboard end of lower guide rod 26 so that a portion of the ring 38a lies between the two respective guide rods 25 and 26 adjacent the outboard ends thereof to insure that the space between the two rods 25 and 26 will remain constant as for example should the dispenser 10 be accidently dropped.

This spacer 38a may be secured by any suitable means as for example drilling a hole 39 through the outboard end of upper guide rod 25 and rim of spacer member 38a and a hole 43 through lower guide rod 26.

A machine screw 41 passes through holes 39 and 43 and is threaded into the lower portion of spacer ring 38a and tightening of this machine screw 41 will therefore hold the outboard ends of guide rods 25 and 26 and spacer ring 38a firmly together.

A fiat surface 42 may be milled on the top of the upper guide rod 25 to accommodate the head of the machine screw 41. Instead of a ring shaped spacer member 38a, a washer may be used to maintain the required distance.

The hole 43 in lower guide rod 26 is preferably made larger than the machine screw 41 to enable the lower guide rod 26 to be rotatively adjusted for the proper ejection angle for the labels L as previously described.

The operation of the invention is as follows. A coil of backing B on which the labels are mounted, with preferably the pressure sensitive adhesive, is placed in the reel and the outside or braking flange 17 adjusted in position. The backing B is threaded under the upper guide rod and over the peeling edge 27 and around the bottom of bottom guide rod 26 to the wind up shaft 21 where the end of the backing B is attached to the axle 21 by looping over the finger 23 in groove 22.

As shown in FIGURE 1 the operator holds the dispenser 10 by the grip 12 and by placing his thumb on the thumb knob 24 may cause the knob 24 to rotate and wind the backing B around shaft 21 thus pulling the backing B carrying the labels L to the peeling edge 27 from which position the labels L are ejected on to the surface 25 to which they are intended to be mounted and underneath the presser foot 30. The operator may tilt the dispenser 10 slightly and firm the label to the surface with the presser foot 30 engaging the top surface of the label L as it is ejected to the surface 35.

When the coil of labels L is exhausted or when it is desired to change to another label, the outside flange 17 is removed and the coil of backing B with labels L is removed together with the spent backing B on the Wind up shaft 21 which then may be torn off at a suitable point.

With the thumb knob 24 located at the lower edge of the sidewall 11 it is possible to arrange a battery 36 of articles together (see FIGURE 1) and stroke the dispenser 10 across them allowing the thumb knob 24 to engage the surfaces to be labeled and thus actuate the dispenser 10.

A guard 32 is mounted on the periphery of outside flange 17 by means of a screw 33 to confine any coils of backing B which might tend to unravel.

Although we have described our invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction or use and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for dispensing labels detachably mounted on a continuous backing a side wall having a front edge and a bottom edge, means for holding a coil of label containing backing for'subsequent unwinding at the upper portion of said wall, a windup shaft journaled in the lower portion of said wall and extending transversely therefrom to receive and wind up said backing after said labels have been removed therefrom, means for rotating said shaft, a first guide member mounted on said wall and extending transversely therefrom adjacent said front and bottom edges, a second guide member mounted on said wall above and parallel to said first guide member, said members so arranged as to receive therebetween said label bearing backing from said coil in said holding means and guide said backing to said wind up shaft, said first guide member provided with a peeling edge to effect separation of said labels from said backing as said label backing is drawn over said edge and around a portion of said first guide by being Wound on said shaft, means for tensioning said backing, said first guide provided with a fiat surface adjacent said peeling edge and means for rotatively adjusting the said first guide to effect the angle of the plane of said flat surface relative to said bottom edge to control the direction of ejection of said labels.

2. An apparatus capable of being held in and operated by a single hand of a person for peeling labels from a backing strip and mounting such labels on a surface comprising a supporting side wall having a front edge and a bottom edge, a carrying handle member extending rearwardly from said wall, an axle member for holding a coil of such backing mounted on said wall in the upper portion thereof, a wind up axle journaled in said wall to receive one end of such backing for winding up and accumulating said backing thereon, a pair of guide members disposed one above the other mounted on said wall adjacent said lower and said front edges to receive said backing therebetween, the lower guide member of said pair provided with a peeling edge to effect separation of such labels from such label bearing backing as such backing is drawn over a portion of said lower guide member, a presser plate mounted on the upper guide member of said pair to engage such labels and firm same against such surface when such peeled off label is deposited on such surface, means connected to said wind up axle to be engaged by a member of such hand to rotate said wind up axle while such hand is engaging said handle member.

3. In the apparatus of claim 1 said means for rotating said wind up axle comprising an extension of said wind up axle through said wall to receive a thumb knob fixed to said wind up axle and of such diameter as will enable such operator to rotate said knob with his thumb while holding said apparatus by said handle member in the same thumb hand.

4. In the apparatus of claim 3 said presser plate comprising a resilient portion to accommodate one edge of said plate to the contour of such surface when firming such label thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,276,297 3/1942 Flood 22l-73 2,596,140 9/1951 Avery 156-536 3,077,919 2/1963 Krueger 156-584 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

DOUGLAS I. DRUMMOND, Examiner. 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LABELS DETACHABLY MOUNTED ON A CONTINUOUS BACKING A SIDE WALL HAVING A FRONT EDGE AND A BOTTOM EDGE, MEANS FOR HOLDING A COIL OF LABEL CONTAINING BACKING FOR SUBSEQUENT UNWINDING AT THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID WALL, A WINDUP SHAFT JOURNALED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID WALL AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREFROM TO RECEIVE AND WIND UP SAID BACKING AFTER SAID LABELS HAVE BEEN REMOVED THEREFROM, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, A FIRST GUIDE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID WALL AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREFROM ADJACENT SAID FRONT AND BOTTOM EDGES, A SECOND GUIDE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID WALL ABOVE AND PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST GUIDE MEMBER, SAID MEMBERS SO ARRANGED AS TO RECEIVE THEREBETWEEN SAID LABEL BEARING BACKING FROM SAID COIL IN SAID HOLDING MEANS AND GUIDE SAID BACKING TO SAID WIND UP SHAFT, SAID FIRST GUIDE MEMBER PROVIDED WITH A PEELING EDGE TO EFFECT SEPARATION OF SAID LABELS FROM SAID BACKING AS SAID LABEL BACKING IS DRAWN OVER SAID EDGE AND AROUND A PORTION OF SAID FIRST GUIDE BY BEING WOUND ON SAID SHAFT, MEANS FOR TENSIONING SAID BACKING, SAID FIRST GUIDE PROVIDED WITH A FLAT SURFACE ADJACENT SAID PEELING EDGE AND MEANS FOR ROTATIVELY ADJUSTING THE SAID FIRST GUIDE TO EFFECT THE ANGLE OF THE PLANE OF SAID FLAT SURFACE RELATIVE TO SAID BOTTOM EDGE TO CONTROL THE DIRECTION OF EJECTION OF SAID LABELS. 